Late
by mrspencil
Summary: A familiar theme. One waits for news. Four are out at night and fail to meet the deadline. An account of the mission from the point of view of one of the four.


_Author's note: one possible explanation why four men missed their deadline in Spun Sugar, mainly from the point of view of one of the team. A bit of an experiment._

* * *

**Late**

* * *

They observe from the shadows;

Keen eyes have adapted

To follow his movements,

As charges are set.

They scan the approach road,

The bridge and the forest.

It's going like clockwork.

No obstacles...

Yet.

~0~

A hand raised as signal,

Is captured by moonlight;

The sign that the general

Surroundings are clear.

He starts off the timer

With practiced precision.

Once all's primed and ready,

He must

Disappear.

~0~

He climbs from the cross beams;

Deep water below him;

Planked roadway above him;

And slides to the ground.

Then crawls through tall ferns

To the edge of the clearing,

Where one of his

Hidden companions

Is found.

~0~

They barely have time

To move out of the blast zone;

A flash, and a thundering roar

Shatters peace.

He pauses a moment,

To check the inferno;

Admire the result

Of the timed spring

Release.

~0~

His eyes reflect flames,

As he studies the scene,

With a nod and a wide,

Irrepressible grin.

An instinctive reaction

To fire, noise and chaos;

His features light up

From without

And within.

~0~

A brief, irate whisper

Impels him to hurry;

Patrols are expected,

There's no time to waste.

They slip from the road,

Where the others are waiting,

He hears distant shouting;

He needs to make

Haste.

~0~

A closely knit huddle;

One leads as three follow,

Alert for the ominous

Sounds of pursuit.

Though troops may be blocked

By the bridge detonation,

They're bound to encounter

More trouble

En route.

~0~

Not easy to run through

Wild woodland in darkness,

And mud on the track

Adds to risks of a fall.

He grabs at a friend

Who slips down near steep banking;

Soft cursing in French,

Greets this far too close

Call.

~0~

Two miles from the gleaming

Barbed wire of their refuge;

His leader slows down,

Brings the group to a stop.

A faint light is filtered

Through wind-rattled branches,

Vague cries become clearer.

The fugitives

Drop.

~0~

He dives into thorny,

Unfriendly, low brushwood,

Quite heedless of scratches

And bruises obtained,

And flings himself flat

So that torch beams can't find him,

As nerves, often tested

In peril, are

Strained.

~0~

A palpable tension,

As shapes hurry past him,

And boots grate on pebbles

And dirt underfoot.

A soft exhalation of breath,

As those waiting

Remain undetected by

Enemies

But...

~0~

Next moment; there's mayhem;

As soldiers come running;

Guns raised and harsh warnings…

They'll soon find their trail.

One friend rises slowly,

Eyes meet for a second;

Diversion required,

Or the venture

Will fail.

~0~

He sees the slim form

Slip away through the pine trees.

He breathes a short plea

That this man won't be hit,

As he lures the troops on,

And away from the others,

Relying on cunning,

And street-sharpened

Wit.

~0~

They must make the most

Of the chance they've been given;

Return to their camp

With the codebooks intact.

He stays till all's clear

With his comrades, distracted

By fears for his friend,

And his foolhardy

Act.

~0~

A steady and comforting

Hand on his shoulder;

A low, reassuring,

Familiar voice,

Reminds him that

Everyone out on this mission

Is there not by order,

But clear-headed

Choice.

~0~

A volley of shots to the east;

At a distance,

Suggests the pursuers

Have taken the bait.

It takes all he has

To subdue apprehension.

It's time to head back

To the barracks

And wait...

~0~

Fatigue blurs his thoughts,

Slows his steps as they travel;

They're skirting a region

Which troops might pass through.

It's long past the deadline

The colonel expected;

Of course he'll be anxious,

With men

Overdue.

~0~

He stumbles along;

There's a strange, somber silence;

Looks down at the corporal,

Who flanks his left side

Then up at the sergeant

Who leads this small party,

And knows that their thoughts,

And their fears,

Coincide.

~0~

Once codebooks are safe

And secure in the tunnels,

He'll set out again;

Seek the "package" they lost.

Despite the grave risks,

And dire peril presented,

He isn't prepared to

Accept this high

Cost.

~0~

In sight of the tree stump,

He pauses, uncertain;

Aware of the slightest of sounds

At his feet.

He stares at a figure,

Emerging from cover.

Smiles, wide-eyed with wonder.

The team is

Complete.

~0~

No time and no place

For relieved celebration;

They slip past the searchlights;

Odds once more defied.

A scuffle, a thud,

And an oath, swiftly stifled;

Four bone weary men...

Somewhat late;

Safe inside.

~0~


End file.
